PROCESS DIAGRAM

OBJECTIVE
By the end of this lesson, you will learn:
 Signpost language to describe a manufacturing process.
 Useful complex sentence structures to describe a manufacturing process.

MODEL ANSWER
The picture shows the technique of making red wine.

The diagram illustrates how red wine is

produced. As can be seen, there are ten
steps in this linear process, starting with
selecting grapes and ending with bottling
the wine.
The production commences when grapes
are picked and selected. After this, those
grapes are kept in an anaerobic condition
for 2 to 3 weeks before being put through
a crushing machine and transferred to the
pot ale for fermenting with their skin. The
process continues with the grapes having
their skins and seeds removed. These by-
products are then pressed again in the
drainer to extract more juice.
In the next step, the grape juice, clean
from skin, is stored in another pot ale
where the second fermentation process
takes place. Following this, the liquid is
clarified before being encased into an
oaken cask for the maturation stage
which lasts from 6 to 24 months. Having
been mixed with acid and sugar in the
taste adjustment process, the liquid is
bottled and ready for sales.
MODEL ANSWER ANALYSIS
Read the model response above and answer the following questions:
1. What does the overview cover?
2. Underline the words/phrases that show the order of the steps in the process. The first one has
been done for you.
3. Which stages are described in the first body paragraph? Which ones are described in the second
one?

USEFUL LANGUAGE

SIGNPOST LANGUAGE
THE FIRST STEP:
Firstly, / Initially, / In the beginning, / To begin with, + clause
The first step is when + clause / The first step is + V-ing
The production/ The cycle starts/ commences/ begins when + clause (with + V-ing)
E.g. Firstly, tea leaves are hand-picked.
The first step is when tea leaves are picked by hand.
The first step is picking tea leaves by hand.
Production commences when plantation workers pick tea leaves manually.
THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
Next, / After this, / Afterward, / Following this, + clause
At the next phase of (the process/ the cycle), + clause
The next step is when + clause/ The following step is + V-ing
The process/ The cycle continues/ proceeds when + clause (with + V-ing)
E.g. After this, fresh leaves are dried under the Sun.
At the next phase of the process, fresh leaves are dried under the Sun.
The next step is when fresh leaves are left under the Sun to dry.
The following step is drying fresh leaves using heat from the Sun.
THE LAST STEP:
Finally, /Eventually, / Lastly, / In the end, / In the last step, + clause
The last/ final step is when + clause/ + V-ing
The process concludes/ finishes/ completes when + clause (with + V-ing)
E.g. Finally, tea packets are distributed to retailers.
The final step is when tea packets are distributed to retailers.
The process completes when tea packets are distributed to retailers.
 COMPLEX STRUCTURES

After clause/ V-ing, clause

Tea leaves are harvested mechanically. Then, they are dried.
E.g. After being harvested mechanically, tea leaves are dried.

Having past participle, clause

Cocoa beans are roasted at 350°C. Next, their shells are removed.
E.g. Having been roasted at 350°C, cocoa beans have their shells removed.

Main Sentence, relative clause (have (object) past participle)

Salmon are delivered to the factory. After that, their bones and skin are removed.
E.g. After that, salmon are delivered to the factory where they have their bones and skin removed.

CONTROLLED PRACTICE
The diagram below is described in simple sentences, each of which talks about only one step of the
process. Rewrite the response so that it meets the following requirements:

 Using the right signpost language to specify the steps.

 Connecting several stages in one sentence with the correct conjunction where it is necessary.
Not all stages can or should be described in the same sentence.

 Using the complex structures for better grammatical range.

 Note: The introduction and overview do not need to be changed.
Example
The original version:
The cocoa comes from cacao trees. They are planted in South America, Africa and Indonesia. The pods are
ripe and red. They are harvested and the white cocoa beans are removed. The beans are placed into large
sacks and delivered to the factory. They are roasted at the high temperature of 350 degrees Celsius.

The improved version:

The process begins with the planting of cacaos trees in South America, Africa and Indonesia. When the
pods are ripe and red, they are harvested and the white cocoa beans are removed. Next, they are placed
into large sacks and delivered to factories where they are roasted at the high temperature of 350 degrees
Celsius.
 The diagram below shows how apple juice is produced.

The original version:

Apples are harvested and the best ones are selected. The apples are transported on a receiving belt to be
washed and sorted. They are sliced by the apple grinder. Those slices are stored in a bucket and poured
into a pressing machine. The pressing machine squeezes the juice out of these apple slices. The juice is
taken to the centrifuge. This device separates water from apple concentration. Aroma is added to the
concentration. The concentration is filtered. It is pasteurized at 80 degrees Celsius. The juice is poured
into bottles. Those bottles are packaged. The bottles are delivered by trucks to retailers.
YOUR improved version:
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FREE PRACTICE
The diagram shows production of sugar by a German company for supermarkets and restaurants.
Discuss the following questions with your partner, then write your description of the process:
1. What does the visual illustrate?
2. How many stages are there in the process?
3. What is the first and the last step of the process?
4. Should the steps be described in 1 body paragraph or 2?

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SUMMARY
1. Three key features to remember in the description of a manufacturing process:

 Simple present tense (or occasionally Present perfect tense)

 Passive voice (and its alternative options such as HAVE - OBJECT - PAST PARTICIPLE)
 Signpost language (for first step, subsequent steps, last step)
2. The overview points out how many steps there are in the whole process and what the first as well as
the last step involves.
3. The body of a process description might consist of one or two paragraphs. In the latter case, each
paragraph usually illustrates half of the process.
4. Complex structures should be used to combine more than one step in one sentence. This also helps
improve grammatical complexity and variety.